


Tender Curiosity

by iknowthekoolaidflavor



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Co-workers, F/M, Martha is a handful, coworkers dating even though it's strongly discouraged
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-18
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25980787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iknowthekoolaidflavor/pseuds/iknowthekoolaidflavor
Summary: As the new kindergarten teacher at Little Arbor Elementary, (Y/N) thought it would be easy adjusting to her new environment. Thomas Jefferson is more than willing to help, but there is a driving force dedicated to keep them from being together.
Relationships: Thomas Jefferson/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Tender Curiosity

The first day of school for elementary schoolers will always be a day full of excitement and nerves. That proved true for you as your first day at Little Arbor grew closer.

It was quiet when you walked through the front doors. It was 7:15 am. Teachers were putting up last minute decorations and going over their lesson plans for the day one last time. You were glad that you met Angelica when you did. She spent most of the summer helping dissolve all your anxiety as she helped you finish decorating your classroom. 

You smiled and waved at a couple of familiar faces as you made your way to your classroom. As you set your bags down, your anxiety began to seep in. 

“Are you ready for the meeting?”, you heard from behind you

Angelica stepped into the neatly decorated classroom with a bright, welcoming smile. 

“Yeah. It’s in 10 minutes, right?”

Angelica nodded as she took you in. You were still nervously looking around the classroom, fidgeting with things that weren’t out of place. 

“You’re going to be amazing”, she started, “That’s why George knew you were perfect for the job. The children are going to love you”

In the three weeks that you became acquainted with Angelica, it wasn’t until last week that you learned she was the vice principal. During your interview, she was out of town. You were too ecstatic to be hired, you didn’t notice her name in the middle of the documents Washington had given you. 

“Thank you”

“It’s not like you haven’t done this before”, she said reassuringly as she placed her hand on your shoulder

You turned to see her bright smile again and your worries began to fade away. It was time to head to the meeting and meet the rest of the faculty. 

Before you could make it to the office, you could see two men standing in front of the door. The short one looked furious while the other man looked as if he couldn’t be bothered by him. 

“Remind me why Washington hired you again”

“I’m obviously here to replace you Alexander”, the taller man stated, unbothered as he scrolled through his phone, “If you stay out here yelling at me, you’ll miss the meeting”

“That’s Thomas and Alexander. They both teach third grade social  studies. They don’t like each other much, but they’re great teachers”, Angelica informed you, “They’re also quite annoying”

You couldn’t help the laugh that escaped your lips, drawing attention to you from a few feet away. Alexander continued his one sided argument with Thomas, but it fell to deaf ears. Thomas had already caught your gaze and refused to look away. 

He was tall with a head full of curls that perfectly framed his face. Every curl remained in place. For a third grade teacher, his attire was far more fancier than most teachers you’ve seen around school. Thomas was in a well tailored suit, while Alexander opted for jeans and a polo. 

Thomas gave you an easy going smile and you felt your heart beating out of your chest. He was easy on the eyes. The more you stared, the more you realized that you were in trouble. Angelica caught you just as you squeezed your notepad to your chest, refusing to take another step. 

“Thomas”, Angelica called with a smirk, “Come meet our newest recruit”

Thomas’s eyes grew wide, knowing he had been caught ogling you in the halls by one of his bosses. He walked over to you and flashed that smile again the moment he was a few feet away from you. 

“This is (Y/N)”

“The new kindergarten teacher”, Thomas greeted as he reached for your hand, “It’s nice to finally meet the teacher we’ve heard so much about”

“You’ve heard of me?”

“George and Angie wouldn’t stop talking about you once you were hired. Everyone is excited to meet you. Been a while since someone new was hired”

“Well it’s nice to meet you too. I can’t wait to meet everyone”

Thomas kept his eyes on you until Alexander decided to join the group. You exchanged pleasantries and learned more about him than you expected. For starters, he was competitive beyond compare. He just knew this year he would be voted teacher of the year once again, much to Thomas’s dismay. 

“Don’t sound too cocky, Alexander”, you chimed in, “For all you know _ I _ could be teacher of year”

Alexander turned to face you, shocked by your statement, “You sound so confident for a newbie”

“How are you so sure you’ll win when you don’t even know your competitors”, you bantered, “This isn’t my first year teaching and I was also named teacher of year two times in a row”

“You’re correct”, he admitted, “I don’t know a thing about you”

“But it seems I already know everything I need to know about you”, you gave him a final glance before stepping away, “Which will make my win so much sweeter”

Alex’s jaw almost dropped as he watched you walk away. Thomas tried but failed to contain his laughter. 

“You’re right, Angie”, you heard him say, “I like her already”

Thomas caught up to you, speeding by Angelica just to get the door. You thanked him as you walked by and found a seat in the office. Everyone greeted you with warm smiles. Thomas sat across from you next to a shorter man that you hadn’t been introduced to yet. He looked at Thomas just as Thomas’s gaze found your’s again, then he looked at you. You saw a small smile spread across his face as he shook his head. He elbowed Thomas and finally broke his gaze as he whispered something to him. Thomas put his head down and mumbled something under his breath. 

As everyone else took their seats, George started the meeting. He started off with an encouraging speech about making this school year better than the last for the students, parents, and the faculty. There was a short conversation about making sure the parents were staying involved in the students’ academic success and how to reach out to parents. The last thing you remember was the discussion about the PTA meetings when you hear your name.

“...she is new to Little Arbor, but she’s not new to teaching. I know some of you have had the opportunity to be introduced her but let's give a warm welcome as always”

Everyone turned to you smiling.

“I know this is the first day of school for you too, so can you tell everyone a little about yourself?”

The room grew quiet as you thought of something to say. 

“My name is (Y/N). I moved here from Georgia and I was a kindergarten teacher at Shady Grove Elementary for four years before I decided to move here”, you stated timidly, “It’s nice to meet all of you”

Amongst the voices asking you about moving to a different state and your experience at Shady Grove, you could hear Alexander’s voice over everyone else’s. 

“She’s also been teacher of the year two years in a row. Ask her about and she’ll gladly tell you”, he spouted

“As much as you walk around here bragging about your two awards, it will be nice to hear a fresh voice talk about their successes”, Thomas quickly stated before you could say anything

Pretty soon the room started to unintentionally instigate the situation. There was talk of you dethroning Alexander’s reign as teacher of the year which he was not a fan of. Soon, they started to make bets over who would win, much to George’s amusement. Most of the teachers were voting in your favor. 

“Alright. Settle down”, George chimed in with a laugh, “The students will be here in half an hour. Go forth and be wonderful and all that jazz”

On your first day as a teacher, no one ever told you you would spend just as much time consoling the parents as you did the students. You went from reassuring students that their parents would be back to telling the parents that their children would be alright. 

Today was no different. 

There was a sign placed in front of the classroom door for students to choose how they wanted to be greeted. Most of them chose a high five or made up a handshake with you. It helped ease them into their new environment and it seemed to put the parents at ease to see their children happy. 

As the students entered the classroom, they were instructed to place their belongings in their cubbies and sit on their assigned color on the rug. So far, nine of your ten students were present. As you waited, you could hear them asking each other about their favorite colors and wanting to switch seats. 

Five minutes later, a little boy with a head full of curls and a Black Panther backpack was standing in front of you, greeting you with a giant smile. You happily returned it, but you couldn’t say the same for his mother. She regarded you with a cold stare. 

“Good morning”, you chirped, “You must be Ezra”

“Morning”, he said as he smiled back

“You have a choice in how I greet you. Which option sounds best to you?”

Both Ezra and his mother stared at the selections. He pointed to the circle that said hug. You squat to reach his height, ready to hug him, but his mother had other plans. You saw her yank her son back, eyeing with trepidation. 

“Don’t touch my son”, she nearly yelled

“Ma’am, I wasn’t trying to--”

“I don’t care. The nerve of you new age teachers thinking you can just put your hands on other people’s children. Keep your hands off my son”

She turned to Ezra, hand still gripping his shoulder.

“She’s not allowed to hug you. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, mommy”

Ezra looked down as he walked into the room. 

“Don’t you ever--”

“I heard you”, you griped, trying to go back to your calm demeanor, “You’ve made your point of view very clear. Pick up is at three o’clock”

You turned on your heel, taking a deep breath before you entered the classroom to get the day started. 

The first half of the morning went off without a hitch. It didn’t take long to learn their names because there were only ten of them. So far, you could tell the sing alongs were their favorite activity, even if they were still learning the words. 

Throughout the day, you noticed Ezra slowly coming out of the shell his mother forced him in. He volunteered to help pass out construction paper and crayons. He hugged Macy until she stopped crying when she was afraid her parents wouldn’t be back. Ezra was a completely different person without his mother present. 

Without a doubt, he ended up earning the coveted position of the line leader. As you made your way to the cafeteria, a familiar head of curls turned the corner. 

“Good morning, Ms. (Y/L/N)”, Thomas said with a soft smile

“Good morning again Mr. Jefferson”

Thomas’s attention soon turned to your line leader. His smile grew brighter as he greeted the students. 

“Ms. (Y/L/N) chose me to be line leader today”, Ezra chirped

“That’s so cool Ez”

Ezra smiled proudly at your colleague. 

“If you ask nicely, she’ll let you be line leader too”

“All I have to do is ask?”, Thomas implored now that is attention was on you, “I’ll keep that in mind next time”

“The role of a line leader is earned Mr. Jefferson. Don’t know if you’re deserving of that title yet”, you whispered only loud enough for him to hear

Thomas quirked an eyebrow and took a small step forward. He was dangerously close, but not enough to cause any trouble if someone like your bosses were to walk by. 

“Pray tell Ms. (Y/L/N). What would I have to do to earn such an honor bestowed by you?”

“Not distract me in the halls while I take my students to lunch”, you quipped, “They're hungry. Shame on you for making them wait”

To Thomas’s amusement, you gave him a fake glare as you led your students to the cafeteria. 

Lunch time will always be your least favorite time of the day. Every kindergarten to second grade class were assigned the same block to eat lunch. Hungry children who have yet to have recess, all in one room never sounds like a good idea to anyone and yet here you all are. The room exploded with exuberant children that you would have to endure for thirty minutes. 

Some of your students had lunches packed for them, but also had money to buy snacks. As the rest of the students started to eat their lunches, you took the others to the lunch line. While waiting for your students to get out of line, you saw Thomas at the end of the line with a grim expression on his face. He gave the lunch lady a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as he greeted her and politely asked for a turkey sandwich. The lunch lady gave him a knowing look, but didn’t press any further. Thomas stared down at the lunch as he reached the front of the line. It wasn’t until he reached for his wallet that he had time to look up to catch you staring. 

“It’s not what it looks like”

“It’s exactly what it looks like”, you grinned, “It appears you have an affinity for school lunches”

“The complete opposite actually”, he responded as he tried to hand a five dollar bill to the cashier. He ended up thanking her when she gave him a stern look as she pushed his hand away. 

Thomas stepped aside as you guided everyone else back to their assigned table. As you got the rest of your students situated, you had enough time to see Thomas walk to the other side of the table and place the lunch in front of Ezra. Ezra turned to see Thomas squatting in front of him. Ezra’s frown started to change into a smile as he gave him a fist bump. 

“You know Ezra?”, you asked as he approached you

All Thomas could do was nod. 

“If I’m in the cafeteria and I see that a kid doesn’t have a lunch, I just make sure they eat”, Thomas shrugged, “I know being a parent while working is tough, but it doesn’t make me feel good when the kids aren’t eating”

“I thought I had everyone accounted for--”

“Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s alright”, Thomas said as he placed a hand on your shoulder, “Speaking of lunch, are you eating?”

“Thank you Patron Saint of School Lunches”, you laughed, “but I like to eat during nap time, when it’s nice and quiet”

“Noted. I wish my students had a nap time”

There was an empty table next to your class that you decided to occupy. Thomas pulled your seat out for you and gently pushed you in. Thomas’s easy going smile returned as you changed the subject. He would lean in whenever you brought up a topic that enticed him and add to the conversation every once in a while. As you went on about the need for teachers to adapt their teaching styles for their students, you could tell he was lost in thought. He elbow rested on the table with his chin resting in his hand. His gaze never left you and there was that soft smile that never left his face. 

“Am I boring you?”, you asked 

Thomas’s eyes widened. 

“Not at all. I could listen to you for hours”

“Wait”, you gawked, “You teach third grade, right?”

“Yes, I do”, he stated proudly, “Best third grade class in the entire school”

“Hamilton would beg to differ”

Thomas smile deflated, “Hamilton’s students have nothing on my class”

“But aren’t all of the third grade students great?”, you asked, “Don’t pit them against each other for a petty rivalry. They deserve better”

“You’re right Ms. (Y/L/N). Where were you all those years before?”

Thomas stared at you as if you would have the answer, but there was something about the way he looked at you that implied another meaning. 

“I wanted to ask you where your students were”, you continued

“Oh”, Thomas said, finally breaking him away from his reverie, “They’re at their special. Music class with Maria”

“She seems nice”

“She is. Maria’s great with kids. I think you’ll like her too”, Thomas paused and looked at his watch, “Speaking of which, I’m a little late to pick them up”

“Late on the first day of school”, you gasped, “How can you live with yourself?”

“Well, there’s this new teacher here. She’s beautiful, but I know she’ll be a bad influence on me”, he grinned as he stood up, “I wonder if I can stay away”

Without giving you a chance to respond, Thomas left to pick up his students. You suddenly realized the cafeteria was quieter than before. Most of the classes had already cleaned up and left the cafeteria. Your class was quick to clean up when they realized recess was their next activity. 

The rest of the day went by faster than you thought. After recess they took a nap, then there was art with Mr. Laurens. You went to drop them off, but stayed for John’s antics. He was yet another teacher that was amazing with children. One moment they were drawing pictures of their favorite person, the next thing you knew you were assisting with getting markers cleaned off of their hands and arms. 

“It could have been worse”, John laughed as he ran his fingers through his hair, “I’ve seen some things”

You couldn’t help but laugh. 

“If the parents give you any trouble, they know where to find me”, John winked at you before waving to the children

With the last twenty minutes of the day approaching, you asked all of them what their favorite part of the day was. 

“I liked art”, Macy said quietly

“I like art too”, you replied giving her a smile

You watched as her face slowly lit up as other students agreed with her. You had a feeling this class was going to be your favorite. 

“I think I like story time”, Nathaniel cheered

“I liked music, but nap time is no fun”, Corey admitted 

There was an overwhelming chorus of distaste for nap time. What you would give to be able to take a nap during the day as an adult. They’ll regret neglecting nap time when they get older. 

“What was your favorite Ezra?”, Macy asked 

Ezra grew quiet, deep in thought, “I really liked lunch time”

“Lunch might have also been my favorite”

With the last ten minutes of the day, you walked them through dismissal. Most of the parents arrived at three o’clock on the dot. Every time you saw a student greet their parents, your heart exploded. The moment they saw their parents, they would break into a sprint and jump in their arms, talking a mile a minute about their day. 

There were a few that didn’t want to leave and they had to be reminded that they would in fact be back tomorrow morning. It felt like you were reminding yourself as well. You had a great day getting to know all of them and it pained you a little to watch them leave. 

As you walked to the cubbies you realized the Black Panther backpack was still there. Ezra sat on his assigned square with his legs crossed patiently waiting to go home. A small sigh escaped his lips as he looked at the clock that read 3:35. 

“It looks like we have some time on our hands”, you smiled as you sat in front of him, “What would you like to do?”

“I get to choose?”

“Of course you can”

“Mommy never lets me choose”, he said as he walked to the bookshelf

Your heart sank. His mother’s first impression had a lasting effect on you. Ezra brought you out of your thoughts when he held a book in your face. 

“Chicka Chicka Boom Boom? I love this book”

“Me too”, he chirped, “My daddy reads it to me when I go to his house. Daddy lets me choose stuff all the time”

“He does”, you asked, allowing him to continue

“Yeah. He lets me choose lots of stuff”

“Like what?”

“My shirts, my pants, my shoes”, he started as he ticked the items off with his fingers, “My snacks, my backpack, the books we read, and the songs in the car”

“Your dad sounds awesome”

“He is”, he beamed

You wanted to ask him more about his parents, but decided against it as you opened the book. By the time his mother arrived, Ezra was enthralled by your animated voice. He took his time reading the letters aloud when you encouraged him to keep going. When you gave him a high five, she made her presence known. 

“What do you think you’re doing?”, his mother chastised

“Reading a book”, you responded as you made a mental note for where you left off, “We can finish the rest next time”

“There won’t be a next time. I just got held up at work”

“That’s fine. No one’s holding it against you”, you reassured her

You weren’t going to hold it against her, but somehow your calm demeanor upset her more than you knew. She took a step towards you, invading your personal space. 

“I don’t want you getting close to my son. I don’t know you”

“Lucky for you. You have the entire school year to get to know me then. I’m sure it’ll be a great learning experience for the both of us”

She glared at you ready to say something else when you heard a cold voice from behind her. 

“Is there a problem here?”, Thomas asked from the door

“Of course not”, you responded as you took a step back, “Ezra, did you enjoy your day today?”

Ezra smiled at you, then at Thomas and his mother as he told them about his day. 

“Then she read me my favorite book. She even does voices”

“Sounds like you had an exciting day with Ms. (Y/L/N)”

“I did”

You noticed a change in his mother the moment she heard Thomas’s voice. Her frown turned into a smile and she contributed to the conversation as if she wasn’t at your throat a moment ago. She grew incredibly close to Thomas. 

“I’m glad you enjoyed your day baby”, she cooed as she wrapped her hand around Thomas’s bicep

Thomas froze, looking between the three of you. His discomfort seemed obvious to everyone, but her. 

“Martha”, he warned, “That’s inappropriate and you know it”

Before he could yank his arm away, Martha moved her hand away with a sigh. Ezra waved as he left the classroom in a better mood. You stood in the middle of the classroom, wondering if he would be safe going home with her. Was he eating? Does she yell at him? Does his father live with him? Why is she so sweet on Thomas?

“Earth to (Y/N)”, Thomas called, waving his hand in your face, “I was asking if you were alright. Martha is more than a handful”

Honestly, you’ve never been more frustrated in your life. Usually parents waited until the third or fourth month to show their asses, but this was a new record. 

“I take that as a no”, he continued, “Want to get a drink?”

This was the moment he decided to ask you out?

“I mean, some of the teachers and I are going out for a drink. You’re welcome to join us”, Thomas corrected, “First days are always a lot for everyone...even the teachers. Who would have thought teachers work hard too”

“Sure. I have to get my notes together first. You’re cutting into my planning for the night”

“I thought you turned in your lesson plans over the summer?”

“I did, but these are notes I took on the students. I want to adjust the lesson plans based on the things they like and their learning styles. This is just a rough draft because it’s only the first day. I’ll know more after a month or so”

As you looked up from your papers, Thomas was staring at you in awe. 

“You’re a wonderful addition to our team. I already like having you here”

“I like being here”

Thomas smiled as he went to collect his things. He wanted to spend as much time as he could to get to know you. After he walked you to your car, he made sure he gave you his number. 

“Just so I can send you the address or if you need anything else. Like a tour guide or something”

“A tour guide?”

“DC is an interesting area with a lot of history. I also know some great places if you ever want to get something to eat”

“I might take you up on that offer”

“I sure hope so”, Thomas grinned, finally finding the will to walk away, “I’ll see you in a few”

You sat in your car, trying to keep your feelings at bay, but your body failed you. The smile you’ve been fighting off broke out in the worst way possible. Being around Thomas felt like a breath of fresh air, but you didn’t date colleagues. For personal and professional reasons, since the county strongly discourages dating amongst faculty and staff. 

The thoughts about Thomas ran rampant while you pulled out of the parking lot. Amongst the rest of the cars still parked in the parking lot, neither of you noticed Martha’s parked a few spots away. Her eyes were fixated on your retreating car as a frown etched into her features. 

If you and Thomas were to continue on like this, then the both of you would be made aware of how far Martha Jefferson would go to make your lives a living hell. 

  
  
  



End file.
